The present invention relates generally to food processing equipment of the type used to extract the fat content from fried foods. More particularly, the invention relates to a centrifugal separating apparatus which is particularly suitable for use in removing the surface liquid from food products.
Various types of centrifuge devices currently exist in the art, the object being to provide a means to remove the cooking oil from the surface of the food once a frying operation has been completed. However, these types of prior art centrifuge devices are mainly for use in manufacturing of frozen food products and are typically large in size being prohibitively expensive and not desirable for home use.
Additionally, it is known in the art that devices for removing excess oils from cooked food products include methods that utilize pressurized containers and vacuum chambers in association with high temperatures before the centrifuge process begins, all of which are once again not readily adaptable for use in the consumer's home.
Thus, there is a need for a centrifugal extraction device for removing the surface liquids from household food products which is simple and economical in use and allows for the efficient separation of liquids from solids in a small compact design which can be used at the consumer's home and is easy to clean and store after use.
The subject invention herein solves all of these problems in a new and unique manner which has not been part of the art previously. General types of centrifuge devices for removing the fat content from fried foods are known in the art and some related patents are described below:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,797 issued to Y. Wang on Dec. 8, 1992
This patent describes a reciprocally vacuumized and pressurized multipurpose food processing apparatus in which all kinds of to be processed food can be received into a basket that can be moved in an up and down manner by a pneumatically operated cylinder and may be continually rotated in one direction for stirring purposes via a motor making the soakage of foods therein even. The soaked food is then fried with oil with the basket containing the fried food simultaneously being moved up and down and turned continually under a vacuum state after which the fried food is de-oiled via a centrifuge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,347 issued to W. Webb on Aug. 15, 1989
This patent is directed to a method of dehydrating and puffing food particles which includes the removing of excess oil by a centrifuge technique in which a plurality of trays that hold the food particles are spun at high speeds of rotation. The method and apparatus further includes a multiple unit system comprising pressure vessels that are fitted with the aforementioned trays and arranged to receive a procession of prepared food products wherein after preparation of the food products they are delivered to a packaging machine to be sealed in moisture barrier packages.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,260 issued to W. Webb, et al. on Feb 1, 1977
This patent is directed to a method and apparatus for evaporation of moisture from fruit and vegetable particles by using a combination of decreasing pressure and increasing temperature thereby dehydrating the food particles. After the dehydration process of the food particles is completed, they are cooled by contact with cool oil to fix them in a puffed condition wherein the oil is then removed from contact with the particles by use of a centrifuge. The finished food particles are then removed from the centrifuge and restored to atmospheric condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,137 issued to R. Hattori, et al. on Jun. 29, 1993
This patent is directed to a centrifuge separation apparatus which is particularly suitable for use in separating frying oil from foodstuffs. The centrifuge separation apparatus comprises a rotatable cylindrical member including a side perforated wall and an open bottom and a bottom lid member including a central raised portion in a side wall inclined downwardly and outwardly. Food to be centrifugally treated are accumulated in the lower portion of the space defined by the inner wall of the rotatable cylindrical member and the side inclined wall of the bottom lid member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,825 issued to D. Hadjis et al on Jan. 25, 1993
This patent is directed to a system that includes a centrifuge spin drum for removal of a liquid component from a solid component in food waste and garbage. The invention provides a spinning perforated drum with an internal filter bag through which liquid and fine solids pass by centrifugal force. The separated liquid is then filtered through a finer filter to make the water acceptable for a municipal sewer disposal system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,672 issued to G. Federighi, Sr. on Nov. 19, 1991
This patent is directed to a motor driven apparatus for peeling food products and has a housing forming a processing chamber in an abrasive rotary disc in the chamber which abrades the skin or husk from the product. A movable gate partially obstructs a discharge slot at the side of the chamber. The gate is raised at the end of each peeling operation enabling the centrifugal ejection of the product by a rotary motion of the disc. Manual unloading and separation of the peelings and product is unnecessary thereby providing for fast, high throughput operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,445 issued to P. Kunz on Jul. 10, 1979
This patent is directed to a method and pressure vessel for cooking food. The pressure vessel is divided into two zones one of which receives the food to be cooked and the other of which receives a predetermined quantity of liquid. The pressure vessel is periodically pivoted during cooking with saturated steam and due to the pivotal or rotational movement the liquid passes periodically from one zone to the other thus wetting the food retained therein and then back into the other zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,633 issued to G. DeLonghi on Feb. 20, 1990
This patent is directed to a deep fryer apparatus suitable for home use which includes a rotatable basket which rotates within a tray. The axis of rotation of the basket is greatly inclined with respect to an oil bath contained in the tray, so that the food contained in the basket is cyclically and progressively immersed in the oil bath. The bath is heated by heaters and the apparatus is monitored by control devices wherein only a small quantity of oil is needed to form the oil bath, approximately one-half what is generally necessary.